Coming Home To Mother
by The Weaving Wheel
Summary: The Day Ali is due to return from the Copper Isles, Alanna is in a towering temper. She starts off yelling at her husband, kicking a hole through a guest's door and yelling so loudly she wakes the entire house up. Will the day get better for Alanna?
1. Chapter 1: She's Back!

**Coming Home to Mother**  
Chapter 1

"Good morning, Alanna!" came George's cheerful voice.r "What's so good about it?" Alanna snapped. "Ali is coming home today!" George said happily. "Oh wonderful! Now she's going to be all 'Oh, Mother! I'm so sorry, I didn't know I'd be kidnapped, you only warned me five of six thousand times!' That's all I need right now, George!" Alanna was obviously grumpy, very grumpy! George shook his head, sighed and turned down the hall.

Alanna glared at her husband's retreating back and stomped off to see if Kel was awake yet. Pounding on the other lady knight's door Alanna stomped her foot angrily. Of course! Kel will be sleeping like a bear! Alanna cursed loudly and kicked the door so hard it splintered. Cursing even louder Alanna sat abruptly on the floor clutching at her toe.

"Alanna? Are you alright?" Keladry of Mindelan stood over Alanna clad only in a sheet. Alanna clambered to her feet looking up to see the expression on Kel's face. She looked surprised, annoyed, embarrassed and uncomfortable. "I see this isn't a good time, did I wake you?" Alanna said a calm mask covering her writhing thoughts. Alanna scowled and turned away. Kel grimaced and turned sharply back into her room.

Down stairs Alanna stopped the first servant she found, a girl by the name of Nilda, and said, "Lady Keladry's door had a little mishap this morning, would you please see to it that it is replaced?" Nilda nodded and scampered to do Alanna's bidding.

"_Heryam_!" Alanna shrieked. The lean stableman rushed in as clatters and bangs- the entire household being awoken- sounded upstairs. "Yes Sir Alanna?" Heryam stammered. "Saddle the swiftest mount in the stables, will you?" Alanna snapped. Heryam nodded and scampered off as Alanna's oldest son, Thom, staggered down the stairs.

"I can't _believe_ I forgot to ward my room to noises!" Thom grumbled bitterly. "Good morning to you to," Alanna said shortly. "Mother, why did you have three children if you're going to ignore us?" her second son, Alan, who had followed Thom down stairs, asked sleepily. Alanna grinned, "Wouldn't that be '_Sir_ Mother'?" Alan chuckled, "Yes, '_Sir _Mother'. As you say, '_Sir_ Mother'."

Alanna had conveniently chosen Alan as her squire, as everyone- with an exception of Alan- hoped she would. Alanna excused herself and headed for the stables where Heryam was waiting with Far Stride. Alanna mounted as gracefully as any noble lady born and bred in the saddle. Kicking the stallion into a gallop she clattered out of the inner courtyard, out of the mercifully open gate into the village of Pirate's Swoop. All the villagers who were in the streets bowed or curtsied to their lady and she nodded to them.

Out to the countryside she galloped watching the waves crash against the shore next to her, she let out a Tortallan victorious battle cry, she was were she belonged! She hated being cooped up in the stuffy indoors where she was expected to drop all her knight training and be a proper lady. She was glad; at least, she could wear breeches in and around the Swoop and when she was riding.

She breathed in the fresh sea air wafting off the Emerald Ocean and let out a whoop of pleasure, Far Stride pranced and pushed ahead faster than he ever had before. White sails caught the corner of Alanna's eye. Slowing Far Stride she turned to see the name of the ship. _Firefly_. _'Ali is coming home today!'_ Ali! Alanna turned Far Stride and galloped to the port where the ship was anchoring. A girl with red-blond hair to her shoulders appeared on deck grinning. She caught sight of Alanna as the gangplank was lowered. "Mother!" she screeched. Alanna raced Far Stride to the harbour where Ali was stepping off the gangplank and back onto the soil where she was born.


	2. Chapter 2: The Little Stranger

Chapter 2

**I would like to thank Kel goddess protector of for encouraging me to write this chapter and not just pulling this off line. Kel you're the best!! :: Hugs Kel:: Oh I do know I'm spelling Alianne's name wrong but you can live with it... right?  
**  
"Mother!" Ali cried throwing her arms around Alanna's neck. "Ali! I missed you so much! Alianne, you grew! Where were you? What happened to your hair?" Alanna asked suspiciously. "One question at a time, Mother," Ali said with a grin. "I was in the Copper Isles and when I was caught my hair was blue and the pirate captain told them to cut it. So they did." Ali grinned at her mother's shocked expression. "Alianne, who is that?" Alanna asked sharply pointing to the deck of the _Firefly_.

Ali turned and grinned as Nawat Crow walked unsteadily down the gangplank. "Mother, I would like you to meet Nawat Crow. Nawat, I would like you to meet my mother Sir Alanna of Trebond and Olau also known as the Lioness." "_The_ Lioness?" Nawat murmured in disbelief. "Pleased to meet you Nawat," Alanna said briskly. "Tell me, what is the story behind your last name?" Nawat shuffled his feet, eyes downcast. Ali nudged his ribs gently and whispered, "It's alright, Mother will understand... I think." Nawat sighed and said, "I used to be a crow, living in the Copper Isles. I was to help Ali learn crow language so she would win her bet with the Trickster. I decided I could help her more be becoming a human, so I did."

Ali looked at him incredulously, "You never told _me _that!" she yelped her tone accusatory. "Sorry," he muttered, "I thought I had."

Alanna looked at her daughter and saw in her eyes a fire that she recognised. Ali may not know it, but she was in love, with a crow man. Alanna sighed. "I don't have any other horses with me-" she started apologetically, but Ali cut her off. "It's fine Mother, I for one want to walk. We've been on that bloody ship for the past three weeks!" Alanna looked at Nawat who nodded. She shrugged and said, "I'll meet you back at the Swoop. I need to alert the kitchens that our girl's come back home." She mounted Far Stride and kicked him into a gallop. Before she was out of earshot she heard Nawat say, "I'll race you to the..."

She didn't hear the rest of what he said because of the wind whistling in her ears. _Even if I am getting old like George, Thom and Alan say I'll never be to old to do this!_ She thought gleefully as she tugged sharply at Far Stride's reins. As expected, Far Stride reared from the sudden change from full out gallop to complete stop. He nickered at her as if to say, _What did you do that for?_ "For the fun of it you silly thing!" Alanna replied grinning.

Far Stride shook is copper-brown head his ebony mane flying. The white spots on his head that gave him his name flickered like a horses legs in full gallop. She trotted him into the town and up the hill to the Swoop's gates and into the courtyard. Dismounting she stood waiting for a stable boy to take Far Stride and groom him. After about five minutes, when no one came, she took him into the stable where Heryam was sitting with his back rested against a stable wall, snoring like a hog.

Alanna's eyes rolled and she whistled a piercing whistle that made poor Heryam jump and hit his head on a latch. He cursed and looked up at Alanna with watering eyes. "Sir so Alanna sorry! Me Far let Stride take!" Alanna immediately called upon her Gift and Healed Heryam, at least enough so he sound talk in correct sentences. After that was finished she handed Heryam the reins and strode off into Pirate's Swoop interior.

"_GEORGE_!" she shrieked at the top of her voice. George appeared out of a door way directly in front of her rubbing his ears. "Yes, Alanna?" he whispered. "She's home, with a crow-man." Alanna hissed. "Oh Nawat?" George asked pleasantly. That was the last straw for Alanna, "YOU MEAN YOU KNEW?" she bellowed. "YOU _KNEW_ ABOUT THIS NAWAT PERSON! YOU KNEW AND YOU DIDN'T TELL ME?"

George looked shocked, "Alanna, I've met him, _once_ in the_ Copper Isles_. What's there to know about him?" Alanna took several deep breaths and said in a slightly calmer voice, "You don't know about the way she feels for him?" George looked perplexed and shook his head.

Alanna smiled at him, kissed him on the cheek and marched into the vast kitchens. "_MAEBELLE_!" Alanna called to the head cook. "AH! SIR ALANNA! WHAT CAN I BE A DOIN' FOR YE?" Maebelle called back. "WELCOME HOME FEAST! FOR ALI AND HER FRIEND, NAWAT!" Alanna ordered. "AYE, MILADY! I'LL BE A HAVIN' IT READY B'FORE YE CAN BE A SAYIN' SIR ALANNA LADY KNIGHT OF TREBOND AND OLAU!" the cook bellowed as a stack of pots clattered to the floor. Alanna grinned and walked out of the kitchen, right into King Jonathan.


End file.
